Our duty of care

Unfortunately, it appears that beyond the school gate, where the protective authority of the school ends, some of our children are most vulnerable, given the failure of the State to afford all of its citizens a safe and secure environment in which to live and move about freely.

Our children are increasingly becoming targets of criminal elements, with the State protective apparatus seemingly looking on as they kidnap, sexually assault or even murder them. Schools very often have to deal with the spectre of children who go missing for days.

The impoverished socio-economic circumstances of many of our children predispose them to sexual predators who willingly take advantage of their circumstances.

In extreme cases, this practice occurs with the knowledge and consent of parents. Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states, “States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any person who has the care of the child.” It goes on to state further, “Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide the necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well as other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate for judicial involvement.” Based on these guiding principles, schools try their best to ensure that children are afforded a safe and secure learning environment, but this is not always enough to ensure the welfare and well-being of many of our children.

Our State agencies, parents and communities must do more to protect children as they go about their daily lives.

Our criminal elements must know that crimes against children are scorned upon in the most forceful manner.

As teachers we must guide children on measures they must adopt to protect themselves, from speaking to a trusted adult about physical and sexual abuse, to walking in groups as they go to and from school, not getting into vehicles alone or screaming to alert others when they suspect they are in danger.

Parents must also be more meticulous in selecting people to entrust the care of their minors in their absence.

Schools, in collaboration with community organisations and police officers, can work with parents to educate them about smart ways of ensuring their children are safe when going to and from school.

While these are reactionary measures, there must be a more concerted effort to understand the process by which our society is producing such extreme criminal minds.

Just who are these young people who grow up to engage in such extreme forms of violence, without any regard for human life? How can we adjust socialisation processes to ensure that the tendency to criminal behaviour is not so powerful? These are questions teachers and the wider society must ponder upon as we seek to come to grips with extreme levels of crime against children.